OSH and the use of hard helmets in factories. An example from Fiji

A personal protective equipment (PPE) par excellence is a hard helmet in a factory because of the building configuration and the fact that it is very common to have equipment and machinery as well as other employees working above you.

In a recent visit to a sugar factory, there was a moment when the visiting delegation walked pass an area where employees were doing maintenance tasks high up. None of the workers on the ground, as I recall, was wearing a helmet – neither any of us visitors for that matter! – but they were kind enough as to let their colleagues above that they had to stop working to prevent anything from falling on us.

The news below from The Fiji Times ONLINE at http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=323001 graphically depicts the need to cover at least the basic PPE requirements while working in a factory.

Man hurt in mill

By Felix Chaudhary, September 24, 2015

A Fiji Sugar Corporation worker was admitted for a week at the Lautoka Hospital after an accident at the Lautoka sugar mill last Wednesday.

Peter Swami said he was working at the mill when the accident happened.

“I was lifting a motor using a chain block that was attached to a beam when all of a sudden the beam broke and hit me on my head,” he said.

“I was extremely lucky that I had my helmet on when it happened because it reduced the impact of a direct hit on my head.

“The helmet was damaged and I was taken to the Lautoka Hospital immediately after the accident happened.”

Mr Swami said he was informed by medical staff that an MRI scan was needed to find out if there were injuries to his spine or neck area.

Fiji Sugar Corporation executive chairman Abdul Khan confirmed the details of the accident and reassured mill workers that all steps were being taken to ensure their safety.

“The workers had safety helmets on and one of the workers complained of having headaches,” he said.

“The worker has been discharged from Lautoka Hospital and he will be going to CWM Hospital for an MRI. This course of action is necessary to ensure proper treatment.”

Jorge Chullén

Permanent link to this article: http://www.iuf.org/sugarworkers/osh-and-the-use-of-hard-helmets-in-factories-an-example-from-fiji/